More than half of Brits (53%) would be unwilling to give up their mobile phone contracts in order to save money, and 76% would be unwilling to go without home internet even if their finances were in dire straits, according to a new YouGov survey.
Carried out on behalf of Leeds Building Society, the survey quizzed 2,241 adults online on how their spending has changed over the past two years. Their findings are indicative, highlighting just how all of us are used to modern technologies.
Of the 39% of people who said they were spending “a little less” or “a lot less” than they did two years ago, 77% said they were cutting back on entertainment such as cinema tickets and eating in restaurants. The next biggest casualty was alcoholic drinks bought out, with 64% of people saying they now spend less on drinking with friends in bars and clubs. However, just 14% had cut back on home internet services, 25% said they now spend less on mobile services.
Unsurprisingly, people in London were the least likely to give up their home internet arrangements (83%) or mobile services (64%). The 25 to 34-year-old age group was the most unwilling to reduce their outgoings on smartphone bills.
According to Gary Brook, Head of Corporate Communications at Leeds Building Society, these results indicate that technology, and communications technology in particular, is “increasingly being seen as a necessity rather than an avoidable expense by many people.” Couldn’t agree more.